India, Israel, UAE, and the US are set to hold the first virtual summit of the new I2U2 grouping next month. The move is part of the Biden administration's efforts to revitalise American alliances across the world.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Israeli Prime Minister Neftali Bennett, and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will discuss the food security crisis and other areas of cooperation, said the White House.
The summit will take place during Biden's trip to the Middle East region from July 13 to 16. A senior White House official said the US President is looking forward to the unique engagement. State Department spokesperson Ned Price hinted that India, Israel, and UAE being tech hubs is of interest to the USA.
"India is a massive consumer market. It is a massive producer of high-tech and highly sought-after goods as well. So, there are a number of areas where these countries can work together, whether its technology, trade, climate, COVID-19, and potentially even security as well," said Price.
He added that the US wants to stitch together partnerships that did not exist previously or were not utilised to their full extent. Biotechnology is also an area the leaders are looking forward to discussing.
"Deepening trade and economic ties between these countries are in our interest when it comes to the relationship between Israel and the UAE. That is something we have sought to deepen. These two countries have deepened their relationship in recent years, including in the economic realm," said the White House official.
Biden will be first visiting Israel. His trip is supposed to demonstrate the return of American leadership to bring countries together to address common threats and challenges. It is something the US can uniquely do.